Temperature controlled container



March l1, 1941. Q p STEMME Re. 21,748

TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED CONTAINER Original Filed May 27. 1959 Eig. 2

IN VENTOR.

` BY mw ATTORNEY.

Returned Mu. 11, 1941 y l Re, 21,748

TEMPERATURE CONTRJOLLED CONTAINER Charles A. Stemma, Large, Pa.

Original No. 2,223,234, dated November 23, 1940, Serial No. 276.135, May 27, 1939. Application for reissue January 4, 1941, Serial No. 373,184

3 Claims. (Cl. 62-89) This invention relates to new and useful imhaving 'terminals I0 and II connected to terprovements in temperature controlled containers minal bolts I2 and I3 on the bracket plate 8. for use in built-in compartments or separate The upper part of the bellows is free to move units for refrigerators. in response to expansion or contraction of the 5 tit is among the objects of the invention to bellows 5, and carries an insulating strip I4 on 5 provide a compartment OI' use in refrigerators which terminals i3 and I6 are mounted.. The for maintaining temperatures independently ol strip I4 also carries a pin or push rod i1 that the temperature conditions of the main reiriger- 'acts to raise the trap door 2 as shown in Fig. 2. ator compartment. p The strip I 4 is ilexible and is fastened at the l Another object oi the invention is the provicenter of the thermostat at I3, its free end carry- 10 sion of a controllable temperature compartment ing the terminals I5 and I3. An adjusting screw for refrigerators which shall embody means for I9 is secured to the strip 8 which is also exible both heating and cooling such compartment in insulating material, and is provided with a 4dial response to temperature conditions prevailing 2D having a pointer.2i that registers with cali- 13 therein. brations 22, Fig. 4, for indicating temperatures. l5

'I'he invention further contemplates adjustable The numeral 23 in the drawer 3 designates a means for regulating the temperature in such pack oi' butter or other foodstus that may be compartments. kept in the compartment under predetermined The invention will become more apparent from temperature conditions. '20 a description of the accompanying drawing con- The above described temperature controlled 20 stituting' a part hereof in which like reference unit operates brieiiy as follows. With the unit characters designate like parts and in which: placed in a refrigerator compartment as shown Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partially in in Fig. 5, the thermostat 5 which is filled with section of a temperature controlled refrigerator an expansible gas will expand or contract in unit embodying the principles of this invention; accordance with temperature changes within the 25 Fig. 2 a cross-sectional view thereof partially compartment. If the temperature drops below in elevation taken along the line 2 2, Fig. l; a predetermined value, the bellows will contract Fig. 3 a top plan view of a heating element until terminals I5 and I6 contact the terminal for use in the unit of Figs. 1 and 2; bolts I2 and I3 which energizes the resistance Fig. 4 a partial plan view of the unit shown heater 9 to generate heat. When the compart- 30 in Fig. l; and ment has reached a predetermined temperature, Fig. 5 a front elevation of a domestic type the bellows by expansion will break the terminal unit. connections I5 and I6 with the bolts I2 and I3,

With reference to the several iigures of the and ii.' the temperature within the chamber exdrawing, the structure therein illustrated comceeds the predetermined amount, the bellows 35 prises a housing I which may be a built-in comcontinuing to expand will raise the trap door partment of a refrigerator chamber or a sepa- 2 thereby establishing communication of the rate unit adapted to be placed in a refrigerator, small chamber with the chamber of the refrigeror even externally thereof, having communicaator permitting the cold air to enter the com- 40 tion with the refrigerator chamber through a partment of the small unit to reduce the tem-` 40 trap door 2, one end of the compartment I being perature. provided with a drawer 3 having a cut-out end By adjusting the dial 20 the terminals I2 and wall l which is slidable on a track :ia or on the I3 are Set t0 Vary their distance from the terbottom of the housing I, the drawer extending minal DOStS l5 and llli So that more or less Dart-way into the compartment as shown in expansion or contraction of the bellows 5 is 45 Fig' 1 necessary to energize the resistance heater 9.

A temperature controlling device is mounted The Separate temperature C011t1011ed Compartin the end chamber of the housing I and conment i5 Useful in maintaining fOOdStuIS at dl!- sists of a bellows type thermostat 5 that 1s ferent temperatures than the normal temperamountedA by a bracket 6 from the top wall of ture oi areirigerator compartment such as, for 50 the housing I, it being insulated therefrom by example, butter, which by means of the invention insulating material or strips l. Mounted on may be'l'rlililltailledv ai? E Spreading temperature. the bracket E is a plate 8 from which is supported I am aware that Such temperature C011tr011ed an electrical resistance heating element generunits have been heretofore proposed, but none ally designated by the numeral 9, the element of them embodyl positive means for both increasing or decreasing the temperature by means oi a thermostat or temperature responsive mechanism.

l'llthough one embodiment oi.' the invention has been herein illustrated and described. it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modiilcations may be made in the details o! construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

l. In a domestic refrigerator, the combination of a main food storage chamber and a relatively small auxiliary food storage compartment disposed within said main food storage chamber. said compartment having an extensible and cone tractible temperature responsive device therein.

and having a vvalved passage communicating with the main food storage compartment of the refrigerator. and being further provided with a heating element, means connected to be operative by the temperature responsive device for opening and closing the valve controlling the passage between the main refrigerator chamber and the auxiliary chamber. and meansv actuated by said temperature responsive deviceior energizing and deenerglzing said heating element, said valve and temperature controlling means being arranged to bealternately operative by the temperature responsive device sons t'o establish communication between said main and auxiliary chambers in the extended" position f said temperature responsive device and for 'heating said auxiliary chamber in the contracted position thereof. and said auxiliary chamber being ot small volume relative to the said main refrigerator compartment so as not to materially affeet the temperature o! the main compartment when the communicating e is opened.

2. In a refrigerator for the storage'oi' food. a main food storage chamber and an auxiliary food storage compartment within said main food storage chamber. a partition dividing said compartment from said chamber. said partition having a movable closure which, when opened. permits circulation between said compartment and chamber, and temperature responsive means in said auxiliary compartment for actuating said closure to open and close the same 'in response to temperature changes in said auxiliary compartment.

' 3. In a refrigerator for the storage of food, a main food storage chamber and an auxiliary food storage compartment within said main food storage chamber, a partition dividing said compartment from said chamber, said partition having a movable closure which, when opened. permits circulation between said compartment and chamber, temperature responsive means in said auxiliary compartment comprising a bellows, and means engaging said closure member operative by movement of said bellows for raising and lowering said closure in response to'expansion and contraction of said bellows, the said bellows including al temperature responsive medium for expanding and contracting the same.

' CHARLES A. STEMME. 

